Electric fuse



Feb. 6, 1934.

B. K. SMITH I 1,945,541

ELECTRIC FUSE Original Filed 001;. l, 1930 awe/whom 550mm K. JM/THPatented Feb. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,945,541 ELECTRICFUSE Bedford K. Smith, Alexandria, Va.

2 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30,

My invention relates broadly to protective electric fuses and moreparticularly to a renewable fuse for the protection of electriccircuits.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.485,731, filed October 1,

1930 for electric fuse.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a simplifiedconstruction of renewable fuse for protecting electric circuits which isinexpensive in manufacture and production and which may be refilledwithin minimum time without a large degree of skill.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction of renewableelectric fuse wherein the parts which house the fuse may be displacedone relative to another for receiving a renewal fuse and thereafterclosed upon each other for housing the renewal fuse.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a simplifiedconstruction of renewable fuse having an insulated housing with partsarranged to slide laterally one with respect to another for housing arenewal fuse and establish electrical connection with opposite endsthereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide a construction ofrenewable fuse in which parts of the fuse may be assembled ordisassembled by hand without the employment of tools.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a construction ofelectric fuse having a pair of insulating housing portions adapted toslide laterally with respect to each other into closed position withcoacting end caps at opposite ends thereof adapted to slide relative toeach other for providing a separable closure for a replaceable fuse.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the design of arenewable fuse set forth in the specification hereinafter following byreference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the separable fuse housing of myinvention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken throughthe renewable fuse of my invention; Fig. 3 is an end view of the fuse ofmy invention; and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through thefuse of my invention in the process of assembly or disassembly.

My invention is directed to a simplified construction of renewable fuseplug capable of economic manufacture on a quantity production basis andadapted to be readily refilled after rupture of the fuse. I have hadconsiderable experience with many different types of renewable fuseplugs. Heretofore manufacturers in en- 55 deavoring to produce arenewable fuse plug have rendered the construction thereof so elaboratethat the filling and refilling operation requires the use of tools andthe expenditure of a substantial time interval. In my construction ofrenewable fuse plug, the parts are reduced to a W minimum and theconstruction thereof so simplified that a renewal operation may beeffected without employing tools. The renewal operation in theconstruction of fuse plug of my invention requires only a brief intervalof time for an operation which may be performed by a simple slidingmovement.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the fuse housing is constituted byparts of insulation material represented at 1 and 2 which are slippedhorizontally with respect to each other to form a closed housing. Theend caps are provided with interengaging joints represented at 45 and 46which slide endwise enabling the parts to be aligned one with the otherby a quick horizontal '75 movement in a lateral direction. Fig. 4explains the manner in which the offset portions 44 and 43 align witheach other in providing a tight casing. When the fuse 36 is burned out,any pressures built up in channelway 41 are dissi- 80, pated throughports 42.

The fuse 36 is inserted in the fuse housing when the parts 1 and 2 arein disassembled relation. One end of fuse 36 is inserted in slot 2awhile the other end of fuse 36 is inserted in slot 2b. The part 1 isthen moved horizontally over part 2 with the upper portions of the endcaps engaging the lower portions of the end caps at sliding points 45and 46. Brushes 39 and 40 make contact with the opposite ends of fuse 36and establish connection to the end caps which fit into the caps in thestandard fuse plug.

The renewable fuse of my invention has been found extremely practical inits construction and practical in its operation. While I have describedmy invention in certain preferred embodiments, I desire that it beunderstood that modifications may be made and that no limitations uponmy invention are intended other than those imposed by the scope of theappended claims.

The invention herein described may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for Governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalty 05 thereon or therefor.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is as follows:

1. An electric fuse comprising a pair of insulating portions adapted toregister one with 11 cylindrical insulating members having coacting sideportions adapted to register with each other when said chambers aremoved rapidly into engagement, a channelway formed between saidinsulating members for receiving a. renewable fuse and end caps eachcomprising a pair of separable semi-cylindrical portions having coactinginterengaging slidable joints for maintaining said insulating members inregistered position.

BEDFORD K. SMITH.

